Advanced Car Exports (acesales.co.uk, +44 1903 850 785), for example, claims rather ambitiously to be offering “the lowest possible prices since 1979”. The company sells many brands, but reckons Ford provides the best reductions. “Our discounts, in some cases over 25 per cent, are on top of your 17.5 per cent VAT saving if buying tax free,” is the promise. ACE is now selling the £15,645 Ford Fiesta Zetec S for £9,995.

Audi Tax Free Sales (auditaxfree.co.uk, +44 1923 202800) is the officially appointed Audi Centre for export throughout the world and its speciality is supplying HM Forces personnel posted abroad and diplomatic staff in the UK and overseas. The new Audi A8 SE 4.2 with adaptive air suspension is available now from £51,736.

Bavarian Motor Cars (bavarianmotorcars.com) has individual telephone numbers for each of its many administrative and sales outlets in Germany. On special offer is the 530i Touring (estate) at €39,000 (£32,000). Customers who prefer to order their new cars, built to their specification, from the factory will need to wait months for delivery, but are entitled to drive a Mini convertible while they are waiting.

BMW Park Lane Tax Free & International Sales (bmwtaxfree.co.uk,+44 207 514 3555) operates out of the UK and specialises in selling to diplomats and members of international organisations. Security vehicles that offer protection against kidnap attempts or attacks from small firearms and explosives are also offered by this arm of the BMW empire, which sells on expertise and professionalism rather than price.

One-to three-day security driving courses in everything from non-armoured to armoured BMWs are the icing on the cake.

EMC Tax Free (emctaxfree.com, +44 1323 739675) is in the business of offering what it describes as massive discounts. For example, the Vauxhall Zafira Energy 1.7 CDTi, officially retails at £22,490, but is now down to £13,300, thereby saving the customer £9,190.

Ford’s Military and Tax Free Sales division (ford.co.uk, +44 1932 335113) says it’s dedicated to providing civilians and military and diplomatic personnel with competitively priced vehicles tax-free. But because the company is in the process of tearing up its official price list in August and introducing new, lower prices, potential customers are advised to contact the firm direct for details of latest offers. They’re changing almost daily.

Forces Cars Direct (forcescarsdirect.com, +44 1522 814010) promises to save customers up to 52 per cent with its tax free deals. But a Ford S-Max at £13,667 instead of £20,645 doesn’t look like a 52 per cent reduction to me.

Forces Tax Free Car Sales (forcescars.com, +49 5254 805500) is based in Germany and is something of an Audi specialist, although it also sells cars from sister company, Volkswagen. The Polo at £7,962 represents a saving of about £2,000.

A tank-like Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi at £9,995 equates to a saving of £5,250.

Jaguar Military Sales (jaguar-militarysales.com, +44 844 543 7819) is offering up to £2,000 off a Jaguar XK - but only if you’re a current Jag owner purchasing a new product from the firm and therefore able to exploit the company’s Loyalty Programme. New customers based in Europe will receive a £1,500 concession.

NAAFI Car Sales (naaficarsales.com, +44 8000 856190) reckons it has 30 years’ experience of providing tax-free cars, and asks that potential customers call the above freephone number for its best prices.

Tax Free Vauxhall (taxfreevauxhall.co.uk, +44 1323 739675) adopts a more aggressive sales approach and is openly offering the Astra Active 1.6 at £8,999. “That’s over 50 per cent off the UK list price and we are also offering a buyback of £7,500.” If there is a bigger tax-free bargain currently up for grabs, I’m not aware of it.

Volvo’s Diplomatic and International Customer Sales operation in London (volvocarstaxfree.com, +44 207 383 8000) prefers to quote its prices in euros rather than sterling. They start at €13,590 for the Volvo C30.